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===Etymology=== | ===Etymology=== | ||
From {{inh|ryn|ryn-o|-ant}}, a reanalysed suffix from an earlier compounding with the word {{m|ryn|skant|t=man}}. This term originally denoted a male agent, while {{m|ryn|-aor}} (from {{m|ryn|vjaor}}, "woman") denoted a female agent. However, the meaning began to shift after the Old Riyan period to refer to inanimate referents such as tools. Accommodating this, the {{m|ryn|-aor}} ending widened in scope to become amore general human agentive, losing its specific female connotation. It's thought this process was completed by around the 17th century, by which point | From {{inh|ryn|ryn-o|-ant}}, a reanalysed suffix from an earlier compounding with the word {{m|ryn|skant|t=man}}. This term originally denoted a male agent, while {{m|ryn|-aor}} (from {{m|ryn|vjaor}}, "woman") denoted a female agent. However, the meaning began to shift after the Old Riyan period to refer to inanimate referents such as tools. Accommodating this, the {{m|ryn|-aor}} ending widened in scope to become amore general human agentive, losing its specific female connotation. It's thought this process was completed by around the 17th century, by which point ''-ant'' would have always been thought of as inanimate by Riyan speakers. | ||
===Pronunciation=== | ===Pronunciation=== | ||
Revision as of 13:14, 22 February 2024
Riyan
Etymology
From Old Riyan -ant, a reanalysed suffix from an earlier compounding with the word skant (“man”). This term originally denoted a male agent, while -aor (from vjaor, "woman") denoted a female agent. However, the meaning began to shift after the Old Riyan period to refer to inanimate referents such as tools. Accommodating this, the -aor ending widened in scope to become amore general human agentive, losing its specific female connotation. It's thought this process was completed by around the 17th century, by which point -ant would have always been thought of as inanimate by Riyan speakers.
Pronunciation
Suffix
-ant